Vehicle spring



June 22 1926.

G. A. LEONARD VEHICLE SPRING Filed Feb. 23, 1926 a; nannies.

Patented June 22, 1926.

@FFIQE.

VEHICLE SPRING.

Application filed February 23, 1526. Serial No. 89,972.

My invention relates to multiple leaf springs particularly intended for automobiles. i

The main object is to provide a doubleacting cantilever spring which can be made at a minimum of expense consistent with a maximum ease of riding.

For this purpose the spring is made up of a plurality of leaves. The top member of the spring, consisting of one or more leaves, extends from end to end of the spring structure. The bottom leaf extend from. one end of the spring to or past the center. The intermediate leaves preferably have their ends staggered or stepped relative to each other so that the spring will be more flexible or resilient at its ends than at the center. The leaves at one end of the spring are held together by a clip or clips embracing the top and bottom leaves. A number of the leaves at the other end of the spring are likewise clipped together.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a spring embodying my invention showing it attached to the front end of a chassis.

Fig. is side view of the spring detached.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the spring detached.

Fig. l is a side View showing the various parts of a typical spring separated.

The top member 5 is designed to extend from end to end of the spring and may consist of one or more leaves. The bottom memher 6. extends from one end or the spring to the center and may extend beyond it, as will be seen from the drawin The inter mediate leaves 7 and 8 are preferably of substantially the same or equal lengths, proportioned and located so as to aii'ord a maximum strength and resiliency. The leaves of the spring may be made of any suitable spring material and the number of leaves may be varied to suit varying conditions.

The various leaves are connected together at the center in any suitable manner, as for instance, by a center bolt 9. The leaves at one end of the spring are connected together by a clip 10 and at the other end by a clip 11. It will be seen that the clip 10 ties together the top and bottom leaves and thus brings into action all of the intervening leaves no only on the downward motion but on the rebound as well. The other clip 11 connects only a part of the leaves, such as the top leaf 5 with one or more of the lower leaves (in this particular instance, the three top leaves) so that although all of the leaves are brought into play to carry the normal running load, only the three upper leaves are brought into pl on the rebound.

The spring is adapted to any type of chassis and support. In this case the beam 12 serves as the central load supporting member and may represent a part of either the front or rear axle. The spring is secured to this in any suitable manner, as for instance, by means of a U bolt 1.3 and plate 14:. One end of the chassis or frame 15 is secured to one end of the spring, for instance, by means of a hinge pin or bolt 16 which may be secured to one end of the spring, as for instance, by passing through an eye 17, or in any suitable manner. The other end of the spring may be secured to the chassis in any suitable manner, for instance, by having an eye 18 for a bolt 19 carried by a swinging link 20 which is hinged at 21 to the chassis or frame.

The various leaves may be shaped initially, for instance, as shown in Fig. l so that when the parts are assembled and weight is applied, they will have the desired initial tension and shape. While I have shown the preferred form of spring, it should be unlerstood that it may be reinforced either the top or bottom, or both, by one or more additional short leaves such as are commonly employed in spring construction.

This construction has been found by actual experience to provide a very easy riding spring for a given length and yet the rebound of the spring is much less than that of the ordinary semi-elliptic or other spring of correspondlng wei ht or size. In this case what may be termed the rear-half of the spring, that is the part to the left of the center as shown in the drawing, serves in a sense as a rebound check with respect to the total strength, although it does carry its full share of the load at all times. The main load is carried by the front end of the spring. The balance is carried by the rear end where the arrangement of leaves is the reverse of that in the ordinary spring. The spring can be designed to carry any load and its checking action varied within wide limits by changes in the details of leaf arrangement and design.

I claim:

1. A spring comprising a continuous top leaf extending from end to end of the spring,

' cli a bottom leaf extending from the center to one end of the top leaf, intermediate leaves having one end of each between said bottom and top leaves andthe other end of each extending beneath the other end of the top leaf, and a clip'for connecting the outer ends of the top and bottom leaves. 2. A double-acting cantilever spring comprising a series of leaves of approximately eqiial'lengths arranged so as tooverlap each other in stepped relation at their opposite ends, a top leaf overlying all of said leaves, a clip connecting the" outer ends of the top and bottom leaves, and a clip connecting the opposite end of the top leaf with the outer end .of'the next lower leaf.

3'. The ooi'nbination of spring comprisin" a continuous'j' top leaf extending from en to end of the spring, a bottom leaf extending from the center to one end of the top leaf, intermediate leaves having one end of eaeh between said bottom andtop leaves and having the other end of each extendingbeneath the other end of the top leaf, a e for connecting the outer ends of the top and bottom leaves, and a body hinged to one end of said spring and linked to the other end.

4. Adoiible-acting cantilever spring cornprisi'n'g. a series of leaves of approximately equal lengths arranged so as to overlap having one end hinged to said bod member, a link hinged to said body nieln er and supporting the other end of the spring, said spr ng consisting of a top ineinber continuotis from end to end, a bottom member ex,-

tending fro n the linked end of said spring to the center of said spring, aseries of leaves interposed between said top and bottom 7 leaves and each extending on opposite sides of the center of said spring, and a clip hold ing the top and bOttOD'l members together adjacent said linked end.

6. A double-acting cantilever spring having one end with a graded reinforcement for supporting the load but having greater resiliency on the rebound, the other end of the spring being strongest near the center but having"- all parts tied together to retard the rebound.

GEORGE A. LEONARD. 

